Garbage grinder



Aug. 2, 1949. G. R. (3055 2,477,686

GARBAGE GRINDER Filed Feb. 8, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

flea/ 4e 777 Aug. 2, 1949.

G. R. COSS GARBAGE GRINDER 2 Shets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 8, 1946 INVENTOR.

Patented Aug. 2, 1949 GARBAGE GRINDER George R. Coss, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Eureka Williams Corporation, a corporation of Michigan Application February 8, 1946, Serial No. 646,397

9 Claims. 1

This invention relates to garbage grinders.

The invention contemplates a new and improved construction for garbage grinder and has particular reference to a simple and efiicient construction by means of which the parts of the apparatus may be efficiently and inexpensively made and assembled to each other and to the drain outlet of a sink.

Principal objects of the invention are to provide:

A new and improved garbage grinder;

A garbage grinder embodying a new and improved arrangement for securing the grinder to the drain outlet of a sink;

A garbage grinder embodying a new and improved construction and arrangement for the parts thereof which makes it possible to efliciently make and assemble the parts to each other and to install the grinder in connection with the drain outlet of a sink.

Other and further objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and will be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, of which there are two sheets, which, by way of illustration, show a preferred embodiment and the principles thereof and what I now consider to be the best mode in which I have contemplated applying those principles. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims. I also contemplate that of the several difierent features of my invention, certain ones thereof may be advantageously employed in some applications separate and apart from the remainder of the features.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of an apparatus embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the staggered line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the cover; and

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the circuit for the grinder motor.

The garbage grinder embodying the invention comprises a casing Ill providing a chamber l2, the inlet M of which is connected to the drain outlet l6 of a sink l8. The chamber I2 is adapted to receive garbage and the like material which is to be reduced. The chamber I2 is provided with reducing means for reducing the garbage to a state where the same may be washed down the drain and carried away by water through the drain and sewage system to which the drain is connected. For this purpose, the outlet from the chamber I2 is connected to the drain system for the sink; in fact, the chamber l2 forms a part of the drain system to which the outlet l6- of the sink is connected. For a more complete disclosure of one form of reducing means, referonce may be had to the prior copending application of George B. Cross et 2.1., Serial No. 564,118, filed November 18, 1944, for Garbage grinder, now Patent No. 2,421,0M.

In the present instance, the drain outlet it of the sink is provided by a collar ll having an upper laterally extending flange 20 which is adapted to rest upon the bottom wall of the sink it around the opening therein through which the collar ll projects. Adjacent its lower end, the outside of the collar is provided with a groove 22. A sleeve M is fitted over the grooved end of the collar l1 and is provided with a shoulder 26 whiFh seats against the bottom rim of the collar l.

The sleeve M is provided with a series of ci'rcumferentially spaced holes 28 (three or more), each of which has arranged therein a ball 30. The diameter of each ball 3!] is greater than the wall thickness of the sleeve 25. The balls 30 are adapted to project into the groove 22 to thereby secure the sleeve 24 to the collar ll. A ring 32 fitted around the sleeve 24 closes the outer ends of the holes 28 in which the balls 30 are arranged and positions the balls 30 in the groove 22. The ring 32, however, is provided with a series of pockets 34' which are adapted to be aligned with the holes 28 by rotational shifting of the ring 32 relative to the sleeve 24 so as to permit the balls 30 to move outwardly of the groove 22 to thereby permit axial separation of the sleeve 24 from the collar IT. The ring 32 is held in position by a series of bolts 36, each of which is threadedly engaged in a threaded hole in the ring 32 and has a head 38 which bears against a channel ring 40 which supports a gasket or sealing ring 42. By adjustment of the bolts 36, the sealing ring 42 which has a close fit on the outside of the collar l'l may be firmly seated against the bottom wall of the sink it around the opening through which the collar IT projects. The ring 32 is thus firmly seated against the sleeve 24.

A sealing ring 44 is carried by the outwardly projecting flange 46 on the sleeve 24. The sealing ring 44 is constructed and arranged to receive the upper inturned rim 48 of the casing In. Before the bolts 36 are tightened, the casing l may be shifted about its axis so as to properly position the spout 50 defining the outlet from the garbage grinder relative to the drain pipe to which it is to be connected. The ring 32 is sealed between the sealing ring 44 and snap ring 56 which is carried by the upper end of the sleeve 24 on the outside thereof.

The lower end of the casing I0 is provided with an outwardly projecting channel-shaped flange 60 and an internal shoulder 62 which is adapted to seat upon the upper edge 64 of a shredding ring 66. The shredding ring 66 comprises a band which extends around the chamber I2 at the lower end thereof and is provided with a series of cutting teeth or projections 68 disposed around the periphery of the chamber I2 at the bottom thereof and a series of relatively small laterally extending holes III which define the outlet from the bottom of the chamber I2. The shredding ring 66 is seated upon an annular shoulder I2 formed on the base member I4 which defines the bottom wall of the chamber I2. The base member I4 is formed to provide a trough 16 into which reduced material and water will be ejected from the chamber I2 through the openings 10 and the ring 66. The trough I6 terminates in the spout 50. The channel-shaped ring 60 of the casing I0 is seated upon an annular shoulder I8 provided by the base member I4. A sealing ring 80, however, is interposed between the flange 60 and the seat I8. An L-shaped ring 82 is arranged to overlie the channel-shaped ring I0 and to project downwardly over the seat I8. A series of bolts 84 threadedly secured in threaded holes in the seat I8 are arranged to clamp the flange 60 and the gasket 80 against the seat 18 so as to provide a fiuidtight joint therebetween. The base member I4 is provided with a central opening through which a shaft 86 of the motor 88 projects upwardly into the chamber I2. A seal 90 is arranged to provide a running seal between the bottom wall of the chamber I2 and the shaft 86. The shaft 86 is provided with rotary means such as one or more impellers for impelling material in the bottom of the chamber I2 against the teeth 68 and for projecting reduced material outwardly through the opening I0.

A switch housing I00 is detachably secured by means of bolts I02 to the ring 32 (Fig. 3). A switch I04 is suitably secured in the housing and includes contacts which are normally open. A pin I06 slidably mounted in the wall of the switch I04 is adapted upon being moved to the left to close the switch contacts. The switch is arranged in the circuit of the motor 88 as illustrated in Fig. 5 and normally keeps the circuit open but is adapted to be closed to close the motor circuit so as to energize the motor 88 and the garbage grinder reducing meansdriven thereby at such times as desired. A pin I08 is slidably mounted in a bushing I I0 and has one end thereof projecting through an opening in the sleeve 24 into the throat of the sink drain opening I6 while the other end of the pin is arranged to engage the switch actuating pin I06. A leaf spring I I2 pinned at II4 to a wall of the switch housing I00 is arranged between the pins I06 and I08 and biases the pin I08 away from the pin I06 so that the spring pressure on the pin I06 will function to position the pin I06 so that the switch contacts will be open. The construction of the switch I04 may be of any conventional or desired arrangement and hence it is not considered necessary to illustrate the details thereof.

The pin I08 is adapted to be engaged by a part of the cover I20 and shifted thereby so as to close the switch I04. The cover comprises a cylindrical body I22 provided with handles I24 and I26 on opposite sides thereof. The outside of the body I22 is provided with a series of projections or ribs I28 and I28 which are adapted to engage and rest upon an inwardly projecting bead I formed on the collar II thereby to position the cover I20 in the outlet I6 from the sink. However, the ribs I28 and I29 will space the outer wall of the cover I20 from the inner wall of the collar I! so as to define a passage therebetween through which water will flow from the sink through the outlet thereof into the chamber I2 of the garbage grinder. In the position in which the cover I20 is arranged as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, a rib I3I on the outer surface of the body I22 is engaging the outer end of the pin I08, thereby closing the switch I04. However, when the cover I20 is shifted so that the rib I3I is not engaging the pin I08, the switch I04 will be open. The cover further includes a plate I40 and an annular sealing ring I42 which is held in position by the plate I40 which in turn is secured to the body I22 by the handle I 24. When the cover I20 is removed from the outlet I6 and turned over so that the handle I24 is on the lower side thereof and then re-positioned in the outlet I6, the sealing ring I42 will engage the inner surface of the bead I30 so as to establish a seal between the cover I 20 and the inner surface of the collar I1, thereby to prevent the fiow of water from the sink to the drain outlet therefrom.

It will thus be observed that the cover I20 may be positioned in the drain outlet I6 in one position so as to close the motor circuit and to permit drainage of water from the sink into thechamber I2; in another position with the switch I04 open while permitting drainage of water through the outlet I6 into the chamber I2; and in a third position with the switch I04 open while the drain outlet I6 is closed to the flow of water from the sink I8.

The construction of the closure actuated switch and related features are disclosed and claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 646,396, filed Feb. 8, 1946, for Garbage grinders apparatus.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is understood that this is capable of modification, and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the followin claims.

I claim:

1. In a garbage grinder adapted to be secured to the outlet of a sink, a collar depending from said outlet and having an annular external groove, a sleeve surrounding the grooved portion of said collar and having a plurality of holes therein opposite said groove, a ball in each of said holes and of a diameter greater than the thickness of the wall of said sleeve, a ring surrounding said sleeve and positioning said balls so as to project in said groove, a shell secured to said sleeve, and means reacting on said ring to clamp said collar against the wall of the sink defining the outlet therein.

ring surrounding said sleeve and positioning said members so as to project into said recess means, means axially moving said ring relative to said collar for securing said sink between said ring and the flange of said collar, and a shell secured to said sleeve and defining a chamber for material to be reduced.

3. In a garbage grinder adapted to be secured to the outlet of a sink, a flanged collar depending from said outlet and having annular external recess means, a sleeve surrounding said collar and having a plurality of holes therein opposite said recess means, a member in each of said holes and projecting into said recess means, means axially moving said ring relative to said collar for securing said sink between said ring and the flange of said collar, and a shell depending from said sleeve and defining a reducing chamber.

4. In a garbage grinder adapted to be secured to the outlet of a sink, said sink being provided with a bottom wall having a drain opening, a supporting and sealing structure comprising a flanged collar adapted to extend through said drain opening with the flange of said collar engaging the upper surface of said bottom wall about said drain opening, said flanged collar having an annular external groove formed therein beneath said flange, a sleeve surrounding the groove portion of said collar and having a plurality of holes therein opposite said groove, said sleeve also having an outwardly projecting flange formed at the lower end thereof, a ball in each of said holes of a diameter greater than the wall thickness of said sleeve, a ring surrounding said sleeve and positioning said balls in said openings to project into said groove, a pair of flexible annular sealing gaskets, one of said gaskets being positioned about said collar between said ring and the lower wall of said sink and oppositely with respect to said flange on said collar, the other of said gaskets being positioned between said ring and said flange formed on said sleeve, a shell having an upper flange end associated with said last mentioned gasket and projecting inside said sleeve flange, threaded means adapted for axially moving said ring toward said sleeve flange for compressing said last mentioned gasket for securing and sealing the flange end of said shell, said threaded means being also adapted to compress said first mentioned gasket against said bottom wall for sealing said collar flange against said bottom wall and for supporting said structure.

5. In a garbage grinder adapted to be secured to the outlet-of a sink, said sink being provided with a bottom wall having a drain opening, a supporting and sealing structure comprising a flanged collar adapted to extend through said drain opening with the flange of said collar engaging the upper surface of said bottom wall about said drain opening, said flanged collar having an annular external groove formed therein beneath said flange, a sleeve surrounding the groove portion of said collar and having a plurality of holes therein opposite said groove, said sleeve also having an outwardly projecting flange formed at the lower end thereof, a ball in each of said holes of a diameter greater than the wall thickness of said sleeve, a ring surrounding said sleeve and positioning said balls in said openings to project into said groove, a pair of flexible annular sealing gaskets, one of said gaskets being positioned about said collar between said ring and the lower wall of said sink and oppositely with respect to said flange on said collar, the other 01 said gaskets being peel-- tioned between said ring and said flange formed on said sleeve, a shell having an upper flange end associated with said last mentioned gasket and projecting inside said sleeve flange, means adapted for axially moving said ring toward one of said flanges for compressing one of said gaskets for securing and sealing said structure at said one flange, said means being also adapted to compress the other of said gaskets for securing and sealing the other of said flanges for supporting and sealing said garbage grinder upon said sink.

6. In a garbage grinder adapted to be secured to the outlet of a sink, said sink being provided with a bottom wall having a drain opening, a supporting structure comprising a flanged collar adapted to extend through said drain opening with the flange of said collar engaging the upper surface of said bottom wall about said drain opening, said flanged collar having an annular external groove formed therein beneath said flange, a sleeve surrounding the groove portion of said collar and having a plurality of holes therein opposite said groove, a ball in each of said holes 01 a diameter greater than the wall thickness 01 said sleeve, a ring surrounding said sleeve and positioning said balls in said openings to project into said groove, 9. flexible annular sealing gasket positioned about said collar between said ring and the lower wall of said sink and oppositely with respect to said flange on said collar, means adapted for axially moving said ring for compressing said gasket against said bottom wall for sealing said collar flange against said bottom wall and for supporting said structure.

7. In a garbage grinder adapted to be secured to the outlet of a sink, said sink being provided with a bottom wall having a drain opening, a supporting structure comprising a collar adapted to extend through said drain opening, said flanged collar having an annular external groove formed therein, a sleeve surrounding the groove portion of said collar and having a plurality of holes therein opposite said groove, said sleeve also having an outwardly projecting flange formed at the lower end thereof, a ball in each of said holes of a diameter greater than the wall thickness of said sleeve, a ring surrounding said sleeve and positioning said balls in said openings to project into said groove, a flexible annular sealing gasket positioned between said ring and said flange formed on said sleeve, a shell having an upper flange end associated with said gasket and projecting inside said sleeve flange, means adapted for axially moving said ring toward said sleeve flange for compressing said last mentioned gasket for securing and sealing the flange end of said shell for supporting said structure.

8. In a garbage grinder adapted to be secured to the outlet of a sink, said sink being provided with a bottom wall having a drain opening, a supporting structure comprising a flanged collar adapted to extend through said drain opening with the flange of said collar engaging the upper surface of said bottom wall about said drain opening, a sleeve surrounding said collar having an outwardly projecting flange formed at the lower end thereof, a ring surrounding said sleeve, attaching means associated with said ring for securing said collar and said sleeve together, a pair of flexible annular sealing gaskets, one of said gaskets being positioned about said collar between said ring and the lower wall of said sink and oppositely with respect to said flange on said collar,- the other of said gaskets being positioned between said ring and said flange formed on said sleeve, a shell having an upper flange end associated with said last mentioned gasket and projecting inside said sleeve flange, threaded means adapted for axially moving said ring toward said sleeve flange for compressing said last mentioned gasket for securing and sealing the flange end of said shell, said threaded means being also adapted to compress said first mentioned gasket against said bottom wall for sealing said collar flange against said bottom wall and for supporting said structure.

9. In a garbage grinder adapted to be secured to the outlet of a sink, said sink being provided with a, bottom wall having a drain opening, a supporting structure comprising a flanged collar adapted to extend through said drain opening with the flange of said collar engaging the upper surface of said bottom wall about said drain opening, a sleeve surrounding said collar and having an outwardly projecting flange formed at the lower end thereof, a, ring surrounding said sleeve, attaching means associated with said ring for securing said collar and said sleeve together, a pair of flexible annular sealing gaskets, one of said gaskets being positioned about said collar between said ring and the lower wall of said sink and oppositely with respect to said flange on said collar, the other of said gaskets being positioned between said ring and said flange formed on said sleeve, a shell having an upper flange end associated with said last mentioned gasket and projecting inside said sleeve flange, means adapted for axially moving said ring toward one of said flanges for compressing one of said gaskets for securing and sealing said structure at said one flange, said means being also adapted to compress the other of said gaskets for securing and sealing the other of flanges for supporting and sealing said garbage grinder upon said sink.

GEORGE R. COSS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of recordin the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 180,263 Packer July 25, 1876 525,398 Van Wagner Sept. 4, 1894 1,879,364 Lomar Sept. 27, 1932 2,225,171 Hammes Dec. 17, 1940 2,244,402 Powers June 3, 1941 

